This invention relates to aquarium accessories and more particularly to a sunning platform for turtles or other amphibious animals which are confined in an aquarium.
Amphibious animals, such as turtles, salamanders and frogs, are air breathing animals which spend time in a body of water but also leave the water temporarily for various purposes.
Many species of turtle, for example, live primarily in the water while emerging for periods in order to rest and sun themselves. The turtle requires a sloped surface at the edge of the water in order to climb out of the water. The sunning area should be adjacent to the water to enable quick re-immersion if the animal feels threatened.
Establishing these conditions within the limited space of most aquariums presents problems. Providing an elevated flat area above the water line by using mounded granular material such as sand or with solid objects such as flat rocks obstructs a sizable portion of the body of water in the aquarium. A desirably compact slope formed in this manner may not provide sufficient traction for the animal.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a sunning platform for enabling amphibious animals to leave a body of water and rest at a location which is adjacent to the body of water. The platform has a substantially horizontally extending lower platform stage and a substantially horizontally extending upper platform stage. An inclined lower ramp extends downward from the lower stage to enable amphibious animals to climb out of the water. An inclined upper ramp extends upward from the lower stage to the upper stage.
In another aspect of the invention, the sunning platform includes a platform supporting flange for attachment to a wall of an aquarium. The flange extends vertically from a horizontal edge of the lower platform stage.
In another aspect of the invention, a sunning platform for amphibious animals which are confined in an aquarium includes a substantially horizontally extending lower platform stage and an inclined lower ramp extending outward and downward from an edge of the lower platform stage. An inclined upper ramp at one side of lower ramp extends outward and upward from the same edge of the lower platform stage. An upper platform stage extends from the upper ramp. The platform stages and ramps are rigidly joined together to form a unitary platform structure.
In still another aspect of the invention, layers of high traction material are secured to the upward facing surfaces of the platform stages and ramps, the high traction material being one which has a higher coefficient of friction than the material of which the platform stages and ramps are formed.
The invention allows turtles or other captive amphibious animals to climb out of the water in an aquarium or the like and sun themselves at a location which enables a quick return to the safety of the water. The platform can be compact, is easily installed and is easily cleaned. The configuration of the platform minimizes obstruction of the body of water in an aquarium for the purpose of providing a sunning area.
The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be further understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention and by reference to the accompanying drawings.